SvabhAnu Vrushabha Maasam, Sukla paksha ThridhIyai,
VaikAsi VisAkam , June 12,2003

SrI:

Dear BhakthAs :

Swamy Parsara Bhattar's Thirunakshathram ( VaikAsi Anusham)
follows that of Swamy NammAzhwAr. Bhattar was a keen oral
commentator of ThiruvAimozhi and the Itheehayams attributed to
Bhattar in the enjoyment of ThiruvAimozhi are many.His Taniyan
for ThiruvAimozhi is a Master piece in its own right.

Let us dedicate today's posting on ThirumOhUr
paasurams of Swamy NammAzhwAr to SrI RangEsa PurOhithar ,
the great rasikar of ThiruvAimozhi.


AdiyEn will FIRST provide the verbatim translations from
Dr.V.N. VedAntha Desikan in his monograph entitled
"AzhwAr ThiruvuLLam " and add NEXT adiyEn's anubhavam
of these individual Paasurams , which will follow
this posting in subsequent days :

Paasuram 1: " ThALa ThAmarait-taDa maNi vayal ThirumOhUr--"

" We have no proper company or guide or help in
our path except the Lord , who has taken a permanent
abode at ThirumOhUr , rich in stem-thick-lotus-filled ponds
and paddy-rich fields, with a view to destroying asurAs.
He has four strong shoulders , dark and heavy locks
of hair and enchanting eyes like lotuses and red
fruit-like mouth. He is a veritable KaaLamEgham
showering at the right time".

Paasuram 2: " Ilamgathi maRRonRemmaykkum ---"

" I have no company or help except the Lord of
ThirumOhUr,I said. This is for every birth even
that one may take. The Lord wears TuLasi garlands ,
with flowers that exude honey. The sight , especially
when He walks along , with these garlands oscillating
is a most pleasing sight. The greatness of the Lord is
quickly condensed in the thousand names of His.
The glory of the Lord is so well deserved that it can
never become an exaggeration. The place is noted
for Vedic Scholars , whose greatest virtue is that,
like the Lord , they have extreme kindness for BhakthAs
and would attempt to raise others to the level of
attainment. This quality of generosity characterizes
His feet also! The cool shadow of this pair of feet
provides a veritable pond for us to rest and resort to
on our path. Nothing else can help us to this degree.

Paasuram 3: " anRiyamoru puhalidamilam--"

" We have no other refuge , so say Brahma , Siva and
other DevAs to the Lord. It is only a word from the lips--
not a hearty feeling.They wish to have some immediate
relief from Him and resort to Him. Nevertheless the Lord
helps them. After going out , achieving the end, protecting
the seekers, He returns to ThirumOhUr . Protection to all
is His breath now, while being here; we shall cling to His
feet , but as a real helpless people. Let us , however not go
with ulterior motives for minor returns.Our want is to help
in our path. He is the sure help in the path to Moksha.
We will seek His favour.It is good".

Paasuram 4: " Idar keda yemmaip-pOnthaLiyAi---"

" The halo-surrounded lustre that the Lord is, was being
continously pestered by DEvAs and sages with request after
request to come down on a rescuing mission . They would
appeal: Ward off our distress; please come and help us.
To facilitate their reach , He took the bedding on the couch
of AdisEshA , say , in ThiruppARkkadal. The same Lord is
at ThirumOhUr , whom , you people, tempted to join the band of
single-minded BhagavatAs , may go and worship for removing
your troubles; come along , BhagavathAs".

Pasuram 5: "ToNDIr Vammin namm SudaroLi oru tani mudalvan--"

Oh BhAgavathAs! come along! Our Lord,with His splendour
visible, stands; He is the first cause of all creation;
He could , in a moment , measure all three worlds; to Him,
ThirumOhUr is a well deserved ornament; so He loves it
and He has taken permanent abode therein. His affluence can
be seen in the Sugarcane crops standing in all sides , to which
red paddy stalks generously provide shelter.That the Lord
has chosen this shrine as being to His liking is obvious.
You go there , perform perambulations and sing and dance
in overwhelming Bhakthi.

Paasuram 6: " Kootthan Kovalan ---"

" The Lord's walking gait is stately and His dance (say
with the pot) is bewitching , and graceful . He is proud
of being a cowherd and he has the same kindness to all,
to the GopAs, to the cows, to the calves,to the DevAs, etc.,
the other aspects being ireevalant. To the violent and
belligerant asurAs. He is harsh like Yama. He is dear
and kind , to the same degree to us (who now resort to
Him) to DevAs and to sages . Being a resident of
ThirumOhUr , which is incidentally encircled by cool
and water-rich fields.He is a Parama-aptaa to all
of us , a good friend , philosopher and guide.
I do not have any refuge other than His lotus feet".

Pasuram 7: " MaRRilamaraN vAnn perumpAzh Tani MudalvA--"

" When nothing was there , with widely extant Prakriti
as the first, He created , step by step , water around
it and so on , then the oldest creature , Brahma , capable
of meditation and other devAs and so on and so forth. Who?
He who is in ThirumOhUr . If we make perfect perambulations
here , our grief will disappear fast. When this is thus available,
we have no other refuge at all."

Paasuram 8: " Thuyar kedum kadithadainthu vanthadiyavar--"

" For all grief to be dispelled fast , come fast and take
refuge at the feet of the Lord of ThirumOhUr (griddled
round by groves of tall trees and picturesque fields)
who has a thousand names to serve our purpose to come
to our aid. Whose names are sources of delectation for
discerning devotees that can relish them as expressions
of His unique qualities, before whom villanous demons
voluntarily subdue themselves and vanish , as He was
born as the son of Dasaratha(He was no mere son , but
a green cool , pleasant-to-see Maragatha gemstone and
He was like a large cool tank from which so many can benefit)".

Paasuram 9: " MaNittadatthadi malarkkaNNkaL--"

" Pond-like cool feet ; lotus-like eyes; pearl-like
lips; four strong jewel-bedecked shoulders--all in all
most lovable to look. That God , with a covetable form ,
perhaps should be safe-guarded from onslaught . But then ,
no, He is a mighty force that can, by Himself , dispatch ,
at any moment , the asura clan. He resides in ThirumOhUr
of sylvan surroundings . We have neared the place ,
which means we have secured our safe protection".

Paasurma 10: " Naamadaintha nallaraN namakkenRu--"

" We have resorted to the assured protection , which ,
incidentally , is the choice for a rsort , for the knowledgable
devAs, when they are afraid of asurAs. The Lord then takes
a suitable wished-for-form (as NarasimhA , VaamanA , Mohini,
as the occasion demands) and protects the dEvAs.That Lord's
abode is ThirumOhUr. All my people shall recite His names ,
contemplate on Him and praise Him (in fact , doing all this
in rspect of this dhivya dEsA would itself be efficacious).

Paasuram 11:" yEthtumin NamarkAL yenRu--"

" The Lord, while enacting the artistic pot dance said,
'Praise Me, My people , all of you!'. ThrukkuruhUr
SaThakOpa , as verbal service , sang a thousand of that
Lord KrishNa. Of them all ,which directly established
contact with the Lord , this decad is dedicated to
ThirumOhUr . Whosoever recites it will be relieved of
grief. Company of the Lord in the final journey will be
vouchsafed to him."

Prapanna Jana SanthAna KootastharAna
Swamy NammAzhwAr ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan